Stackers



y 1965 w. w. FROST 3,182,822

STACKERS Filed Nov. 5, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 6 7 WALTER WADE FROST 276, 3 BY 7 vim 50W A T7'OZNEY w. w. FROST STACKERS May 11, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 5, 1962 INVENTOR. WA 22 12 mm zzeosz' K/JJLLM Z8 JTTOKNEY 3,182,822 STACKERS Walter W. Frost, Decatur, Ga., assignor to Sunbrand Supply Company, Inc., Chamblee, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Filed Nov. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 235,416

1 Claim. (Cl. 2147) This invention relates to the needle trades, and more particularly to a new and improved stacker sold under the trademarks SUNCO and Stackette for use in stacking collars and the like in neat piles as they leave the sewing machine, preparatory to further disposition.

Heretofore it has been customary to stack collars thus produced, by hand, whichis time-consuming, often unsanitary, and otherwise objectionable.

An object of the instant invention is to provide an automatic stacker of the instant type, which in one operation receives collars and the like as they leave the sewing machine and are severed therefrom by a conventional chopper; and stacks the collars in neat piles or rows at a point remote from the machine.

Another object is to achieve speed in such ,an operation.

Another object is to provide economy of manufacture in a stacker.

Another object is to make possible simplicity of operation of such a device.

A still further object is to provide coordinated and integrated operation of a chopper and stacker whereby the operator only has to employ one motion to both sever and stack.

Another object is to keep moving parts and hence repair and maintenance at a minimum in such a device.

Another object is to provide lightness and ease of movement in a stacker.

These and other objects made apparent during the further progress of this specification are accomplished by means of the instant stacker, a full and complete understanding of which is facilitated by reference to the drawings herein, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective showing the stacker per se;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged bottom view of the structure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective, somewhat diagrammatic in parts, showing the combination or assembly of stacker, chopper, a sewing machine, air lines, et cetera; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the lines 55 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, and with the view inverted.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate identical elements throughout the various figures thereof, FIG. 1, number represents a supporting framework having a curved front cover 11 over which an elongated stacker plate 12 operates in close adjacent proximity. A collar-receiving deck 13 is disposed to the rear of 11, and carries a receiving plate 14 which is slideably mounted as through angle element 15 to a friction plate 16 in such a manner that the assembly moves gradually downwardly on 13 as collars and the like are fed thereto, and upon being unloaded, may quickly and easily be returned to its original feeding position by simply grasping plate 14 and sliding the assembly to the position suggested in FIG. 5 of the drawings.

Element 12 is actuated by a main pivot rod 17 upon which is mounted a ratchet gear 18 operating in conjunction with a ratchet 19, cross bar 20, and propelling rod 21 which is suitably mounted in a conventional air cyl- United States Patent 0 inder 22 in such a manner that when air is admitted thereto through hose 23, 21 is caused to move horizontally forward and thereby actuate main rod 17 through 18 and 19, which in turn causes 12 to move upwardly through an arc, in conjunction with supporting arms 24, 25, 24a, and 25a, and other associated structure, as will be explained more in detail hereafter. A coil spring 26 mounted to cross bar 20 at one end and to a lateral support 27 at the other, automatically returns 12 and its assembly to loading position when air is vented or pressure otherwise released from cylinder 22.

As main rod 17 rotates clock-wise, and near the end of its prescribed arc, a finger-like element 28 which is fixedly mounted thereon, contacts a rod 29 supported by angle member 30 and linkage 31, in such a manner as to retract a pair of fingers 32 pivoted as at 33, thereby permitting 12 and the collar it is conveying at the moment, to pass over this point without interruption, and deposit the textile firmly against receiving plate 14, upon which the operation is reversed as above; and upon the release of pressure of finger 28 against rod 29, spring 34 in conjunction with its associated linkage, quickly causes fingers 32 to rise into normal position, thereby holding the collars being stacked, in a semi-vertical position as desired until removal thereof.

Attention is now directed to the general assembly in which the instant invention is used, this consisting of a suitable table 35 upon which the stacker is positioned adjacent a sewing machine 36, upon the head of which is mounted a conventional chopper unit 37 the function of which is to automatically sever the thread or threads holding the collar or other item to the machine once sewing has been completed. Devices of this type which consist essentially of an air cylinder 38 and a cutter 39 having a sharp edge 40, operated thereby, are widely known in the needle trades, and sold for example by Sunbrand Supply Company, Inc., 3900 Green Industrial Way, Chamblee, Georgia.

A source of air supply is provided at 41, in connection with a pressure gauge 42, an air hose 43 running therefrom to a knee operation valve 44, which is mounted on the front of the table below the upper surface thereof in such a manner as to be readily accessible to the knee of an operator when lever 45 is actuated. A hose 46 runs from 44 to a three-way valve 47, where one branch goes to the chopper 37 and the air cylinder thereof, and the other runs to the stacker itself and air cylinder 22. A flow control 48 and a volume control 49 may be placed in this line as desired; all of these elements being of conventional design and no invention being claimed in such per se herein.

The operation of the device is believed to be obvious from the foregoing. Air in suitable pressure is first ad mitted to line 43, and upon actuation of valve 44 through knee-pressure on 45, passes first to the chopper in view of the proximity thereof and a slight delaying factor in the valve, where it acts to lower cutter 39 and blade edge 40 sharply against the attaching threads of a collar 50 which has just been sewn by the sewing machine, with the result that the collar is detached and is now placed upon stacker plate 12. At about this time, air reaches the stacking mechanism and acts to transfer the collar to deck 13 and plate 14, fingers 32 cooperating in this operation, all as explained heretofore. Upon bleeding of cylinder 22, all elements return automatically to original position.

While there has been described in considerable detail herein, one form of the instant invention, it is apparent that no limitation or restriction is intended thereby, it being apparent that certain additions, modifications, alterations, changes and the like may be resorted to without a) departing from the scope of the appended claims, which are to be accorded a construction and meaning fairly in keeping with the contribution to the art.

I claim:

In a device of the character described, a supporting frame, a curved front cover mounted thereon, a receiving deck positioned to the top-rear of said cover, a receiving plate slidably mounted on said deck, a stacker plate in close proximity to the curved front cover, a main pivot rod mounted transversely of said frame, a plurality of supporting arms connecting the stacker plate with the pivot rod, an air cylinder mounted in said frame, a propelling rod operating in, the air cylinder, a cross bar mounted on one end of said rod, a ratchet carried by said bar and communicating with a ratchet gear mounted on the main pivot rod whereby upon actuation of the air cylinder the pivot rod is caused to rotate and move the stacker plate upwardly through an arc, and in close proximity to the cover, a plurality of normally extending fingers between the front piate and the receiving deck, which fingers are momentarily retracted by a finger-like element mounted on the main pivot rod through connecting linkage at approximately the time that the, stacker plate is adjacent to said fingers during the latter portion of the stacker plates upper-arcuate movement, and spring means for returning the plate and its assembly to original position upon venting of the air in the cylinder.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 814,454 3/06 Keyes. 2,441,757 5/48 Doering et a1. 214-7 2,508,698 5/50 Von Beren. 2,917,991 12/59 Segur.

HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner.

MORRIS TEMIN, Examiner. 

